Fruit weighing and sorting machine



Aug. 19, 1952 w rr 2,607,483

FRUIT WEIGHING AND SORTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1948 4-Sheets-Sheet1.

; l li' IN V EN TOR.

ATTDRNSY E. A. WHITE FRUIT WEIGHING AND SORTING MACHINE Aug. 19, 19522,607,483

Filed Sept. 14, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet, 2

N v Edward 1% gy /Q5? AT TORNE Y Aug. 19, 1952 WHITE FRUIT WEIGHING ANDSORTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 14, 1948 W WMN.

VENT0R MEV Aug. 19, 1952 E. A. WHITE FRUIT WEIGHING AND SORTING MACHINE4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 14, 1948 Filed Edward ATTGR/VH Patented Aug. 19,1952 FRUIT WEIGHING AND SORTIN G MACHINE I Edward A. White, Clarkston,Wash.

Application September 14, 1948, Serial No. 49,223

4 Claims. 1

My present invention relates to the general class of machines forclassifying, separating and assorting. solids and more specifically toan improved fruit weighing and sorting machine which while well adaptedfor handling oranges, lemons, peaches and other fruits, is especiallydesigned for manually culling and assorting, and automatically sizing,weighing and grading individual apples. The capacity of the machine maybe varied, depending upon the size of an apple crop, by the use of oneor more power operated sections; and after the culls have been handsorted and disposed of, the choice apples while being conveyed onlongitudinally extending belts and individual carriers of the sections,are separated, graded and weighed, and the different grades of applesare deposited in laterally arranged selected bins or receptacles fromwhich they may be removed for sorting, packing, or shipping.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts that may be manufactured withfacility and low cost of production, and the parts may be assembled withconvenience and installed to provide a compactly arranged machine thatis durable and reliable, and simpl in construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete'example of aphysical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined andarranged for handling applies in accord with one mode I have devised forthe practical application of the principles of the invention.

It will however be understood that changes and alterations arecontemplated and may be made in adapting the invention for use inhandling peaches, for instance, within the scope of my appended claims,without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a grading and sizing machine embodying myinvention, parts of the sections being broken away for convenience inillustration.

Figure 2 is a perspective view in elevation at the front end of thethird or last section in Fig. 1, showing the central longitudinalcarriers, the feed chutes thereto, and by dotted lines one of thelateral, longitudinally extending conveyer belts.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view at the front portion of the machine,showing the sorting table and a portion of the first section of themachine, the elevated conveyors or belts being omitted.

Figure 4 is a perspective View longitudinally of the machine disclosingaweighing and discharging or depositing unit for an apple.

Figure 5 is an inner perspective view in elevation at the rear end of apower operated section of the machine.

Figure 6 is a perspective View, partly broken away, of a carrier for anapple.

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the receiving bins;and

Figure 9 is a detail view at line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In Fig. 1 the apple crop is supplied to the right or front end of themachine, and after the culls have been disposed of on the first unit 0the choice apples are conveyed from right to left along the successiveunits or sections of the machine designated by the numerals l, 2 and 3.As a sample arrangement, while the apples are being conveyedlongitudinally of the machine, the lowest grade may be hand sorted intheir selected bins; and the fancy and extra fancy grades ofindividually carried apples are also deposited according to grade inselected bins the larger or heavier apples first being weighed anddeposited and then the smaller sizes are successively weighed anddeposited in their selected bins at the sides of the machine.

After the usual cleansing in a washing machine the apples are suppliedto the table 4 at the right or front end of the grading machine, and acentrally arranged dividing board 5 separates and directs them to theright and left hand sides of the machine for attention of the operatorsor sorters. The divided supply of apples pass to two longitudinallyextending and laterally spaced power-operated sorting belts 6, 6, fromwhich the culls are picked and placed on the two outside belts 1, I thatconvey the culls to the right in Figs. 1 and 3, and these culls aredropped into a box or bag, as at 8, 8 and disposed of in usual manner.

The belts 6, 6 convey the apples to the left in the plan views and thevarious grades of apples are selected from these belts and placed uponcentrally arranged longitudinally extending conveyor belts, moving tothe left for distribution, and for depositing into their respective binsarranged alongside the machine.

In Fig. 1 two centrally arranged and elevated conveyor belts 9, 9 areshown that may be used for conveying the graded apples and deliveringthem down inclines or chutes l0, ID: to the centrally arranged applecarriers of section 3 of the machine. These elevated and power operatedconveyor belts are mounted in a frame parts of 3 which are indicated atII, II, in section, in Fig. 3; and directly beneath these elevated beltsa second pair of conveyor belts t2 and 13 are operated.

When grading apples, the sorters will divide them into fourclassifications known as extra fancy, fancy, C grade and culls, witheach apple in one grade possessing the same standard of quality, butregardless of size and weight.

While the culls are being removed and deposited on belts l, i, the otherthree grades are sorted by hand and placed upon their respectiveconveyor belts where they are delivered to th weighing units 1, 2 and 3which sort the graded apples into bins according to weight.

The conveyor and weighing unit to be used for any specific grade ofapple may, "of coursefb'e determined at the option of the operator. Onesystem will be described with the understanding that any of severalcombinations maybe used.

In Fig. 2 especially it 'will be seen that the C grade apples from thebelts "l8, l9, are supplied at opposite sides of the front n'd'of thegrading section 3 by means of the transversely and oppositely arrangedchutes 22 that are mounted by brackets 23 upon the main frame Moi thisgrading section. For supporting individual carriers for these apples theframe includes a fixed central longitudinally extending wooden rail Rthat is provided with a top metallic guide plate 25, and two angle ironplates each having an attaching flange '2'6 bolted at 21 to the rail,and an upper horizontal supporting and guiding flange 23.

The upper working flights of two parallel endless carrier chains'29 andtravel along and are guided by thecen'tral plate 25,'and these laterallyspaced chains pass around sprocket wheels 3! arranged in complementarypairs and rotatable with a transversely arranged drive shaft 32journaled in bearings at the rear end of the section 3 and "a paralleldriven shaft 33 journaled in bearings'in the frame 24 at the front endof this section. In Fig. 1 an electric motor is designated at 3'4 andprovided with a belt drive including the motor shaft 35, drive pulley'36thereon, and belt 31 which transmits power through a larger pulley wheel38 to the driving shaft 32*for operating the carrierch-ains and 33.

The two carrier chains, moving in unison, are equipped with two lateralseries of apple carriers traveling'along the top surface of the flanges28, 28 of the 'angle'irons 'attachedto the center rail R, and thecarriers, in laterally spaced'pairs are mounted upon the opposite endsof longitudinally spaced cross bars 39 each riveted to the two chains,as at 49.

Each cross bar is fashioned with a pair of uprai'sed flanges 41 ofinverted 'U-shape, and a carrier, for a single apple A shown by dottedlines in Fig. 2 and Fig. 7; is mounted at each end of the cross bar andtowed or pulled along the guide'fianges 28, 28, toward the rear ofsection 3. As best seen in Fig. 6 'each'carrier, of oblong shape,includes apivotal cross bar 42 journaled at 43 in the inverted U-shapedbearing flange M of the chain bar 39, two parallellongitudinal bars 44,and an upturned retainingjcross flange or endfiii which'prevents theapple from rolling out of the carrier.

In Fig. 7, the left hand apple and its carrier are traveling over theejector '51 since the weight was not ample to depress the scale, whilethe right hand apple was, of adequate weight, and its carrier hastripped the scale causing the ejector to push the apple from its carrierto drop into a conveniently located bin or other receptacle.

As indicated in Fig. 7 a series of longitudinally spaced and combinedweighing and tripping devices for the apples and carriers are arrangedand supported upon the carrier tracks 28, 28, and these devices arelocated in the paths of the traveling carriers for coaction therewith'inejecting the apples from the carriers and depositing them in successivebins. The successively arranged weighing scales are each adjusted sothat the heaviest grade of apples will operate the first scale and thisscale will then automatically be restored to operative position; anapple of lighter weight will pass over this first weighing scale,without effect, but the load of the lighter apple will o pe rate thesecond scale, and this cycle of operation will continue to the end ofthe grading section 3.

In Fig. 4, where, one of the weighing scales is shown, a channel shapedbracket is welded at its inner end, to the track flange '28, and oneflange of this laterally projecting bracket pivotally supports alongitudinallyextending scale beam 4''! to swing in a vertical planeoutset from the track. The beam 41 is equipped with a flanged cross arm48 having pivotal knife edges 59 bearing on the bracket flange, and avertical armfl of the beam is provided with a threaded bar -5l uponwhich a weight or ccunterbala'nce 52 is a djustably mounted. U

The beam also includes a lower arm 53 that terminates in an upturnedstop lug 54 that is adapted to contact the underside of the bracket 46to limit movement of the beam, and a flange of the channel shapedbracket is cut away at :55 to permit depressing movement of the beam.

As the carrier passes longitudinally over the beam ll its appleissupported by the carrier which slides one bar 44 along the top surfaceof the beam, and if its load overbalances the beam, the beam isdepressed. In its depressing movement the scale beam coacts with andactuate s a yoke shaped and detained ejector device '51 and the appleisejected or pushed fro'm'thedepressed rear end of the carrier.

This longitudinally extending ejector'is "manned on the track flange "28that is "notched or cut out to form two spaced "depending bracket arms56, and the ejecto'r'5l aspirates 'by'its two legs 58 and a pivot rod'59 to the bracket arms '56. A laterally projecting armor de'tentbfl isrigidly mounted on the ejector 51 beneath the free end of the scalebeam, and under weight of th'e'overbalancing'load of an'appl'efthe beam41 and the detent 60 coact to swing the eiectoroutwardly on its hinge orpivot 59 'to dott'edfpo'sition in Fig. '4. This movement of the ejectorpermits the rear end 435 of the pivoted carrier "to fall to the positionof the right hand side o-f Fig. 7, and the outward tilt of the cnectorpushesthe apple "from the carrier. An inwardly extending stop SI oftheejector contacts the underside of the track flange 28 to limit thesw-ing' of the ejector, and 'after'the apple is'ejectcd and the carrierleaves the ejector, the scale beam and the ejector immediatelyrcturn-topperativeposition in the path ofa following carrier and its appe.

In Fig. 5, showingtherear end ofthe section 3 the frame 24 is providedwith an auxiliary frame 62 that includes a pairot spaced upright posts63 located in the path oi the two series'of carriers to guide them asthey turn or swing around the driving shaft 32, and the lower idlingflights of the chain carriers are guided along a base board 64 and itscentral tongue 65.

A trip device, as 66, for each chain carrier is mounted at the rear endof the rail R so that each successive carrier will be tripped to ejectany remaining apples in the carriers at the end of the section, anddeposit them into waiting bins. These ejectors 66 are also provided atthe end of section 2 to clear the carriers before passing through thesaddles from chutes 22.

As the apples are ejected from the carriers along the sides of section 3they fall by gravity into the selected bins 20 and 2| shown in detail inFigs. 8 and 9, and in falling the apples pass through two sets ofresilient retarders or flexible gates that retard and cushion their fallto avoid bruising of the apples. Each of these retarders includes anupper pair of opposed flexible and resilient leaves as 61, 61 and alower pair 68, 68, fashioned of rubber or other resilient material, sothat the gates or blades or leaves will give and open downwardly underimpact of the falling apple, retard its movement, and then permit theapple to drop upon cushioning shelves 69 and 10 of canvas or othersuitable material, from whence the apple rolls to the bottom of the bin.

These opposed, bendable and resilient leaf retarders at their outeredges are mounted upon horizonally disposed arms H, each having anangular attaching end 12 that is slotted at 13 for attachment by a clampbolt 14 and nut to two upright posts l5, 15 that are fixed at theirlower ends, as by bolts 16 to the wall of the bin l9. By means of thebolt and such fastening means the retarders may be adjusted to theirsupportin posts to vary the tension of the resilient leafgates in accordwith the selected size and Weight of the apples falling through theretarders.

In Fig. 3 a slight modification is shown for use with the conveyor belts6, 6 when the machine is employed to grade peaches, for example. Forthis use the barriers 15 may be removed, as shown on the lower side, andtwo angular guides H, I! may be employed for separating and directingthe peaches to the various distributing belts or conveyors.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fruit grader having laterally spaced longitudinally extendingtracks each having a lateral notch, and a central elevated guide plate,the combination with a pair of endless conveyor chains, and a series oftransversely arranged flat drag-bars connecting the chains and movablealong the plate, of two series of longitudinally extending carrierspivotally connected at the 0pposite ends of the drag-bars andfrictionally supported on the tracks, and a laterally movable ejectorpivotally mounted in each notch in the path of the carriers for coactiontherewith in ejecting fruit from the carriers.

2. In a fruit grader including a longitudinally extending track, aparallel guide plate and an endless conveyor riding on the plate, thecombination with a drag-bar mounted on the conveyor and. projecting overthe track, a carrier pivoted to the drag-bar, and said carrier having apair of spaced side bars one of which is frictionally supported on thetrack and a rear cross bar, of an inverted U-shaped ejector pivotallymounted in a notch of the track for lateral movement under weight of aloaded carrier, automatically movable means for detaining the ejector inejecting position, and means for automatically re-setting the ejectorafter passage of a carrier.

3. In a fruit grading machine having a longitudinal track, a parallelguide plate, an endless conveyor guided by the plate, and a drag-barmounted transversely on the conveyor above the track, the combinationwith a depressible carrier pivotally mounted on the drag-bar andfrictionally supported on the track, of a laterally movable ejectorpivotally mounted in a notch of the track below and in the path of acarrier, automatic means for detaining the ejector in position to permitdepression of a loaded carrier, and automatic means for re-setting theejector and the carrier.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the automatically movablemeans for detaining the ejector comprises a longitudinally extendingscale beam pivotally carried by said track for swinging movement in avertical plane parallel with and outset from said track and disposed toyieldably support said carrier, an adjustable counterbalance on saidscale beam for maintaining said beam in normal raised position, and saidbeam adapted to move said ejector when the scale beam is depressed.

EDWARD A. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 667,977 Engelmann Feb. 12, 19011,076,642 Peacock Oct. 21, 1913 1,169,467 Cutler Jan.'25, 1916 1,220,922Winningham Mar. 27, 1917 1,281,090 Snell Oct. 8, 1918 1,334,643 AnsleyMar. 23, 1920 1,355,999 Nelson Oct. 19, 1920 1,633,002 Cutler June 21,1927 1,839,712 Sturtz Jan. 5, 1932 2,442,521 White June 1, 1948

